Flexible fabric and process of making same.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905.

J. G. JACKSON. FLEXIBLE FABRIC AND PROCESS FOR MAKING SAME.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 14, 1905.

A TTORIVEYS UNI ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. JACKSON, OF NEWYQRK, N. Y. FLEXIBLE FABRIC AND PROCESS FORMAKING SAME Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

a tion fil d March 14,1905. Serial K03501009- To all whom, it mayconcern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. JACKSON, a subject of the King. of GreatBritain, and a resident of the city of NewYork, borough of Manhattan, inthe county and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Flexible Fabrics and Processes for Making the Same, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to the manufacture from silica, glass, or otherfusible materials similar thereto of fabrics possessing a considerabledegree of flexibility in addition to the usual properties possessed bysubstances made from such materials.

My invention relates more particularly to a flexible fabric suitable foruse as a substitute for solid glass and the like, and more especiallyfor use as an electrical insulating material somewhat analogous tosheet-mica.

My invention relates more particularly to the manner in which thefusible material when heated is drawn out so as to form sheets or filmsso thin as to be quite flexible and in building up these thin sheets orfilms soas to form a laminated fabric. Many comparatively brittlesubstances, including glass, may be drawn out to a thicknessapproximating one-thousandth of an inch or less, and when in this formthey can be bent to-a comparatively small radius without fracture.

I do not limit myself to any particular mechanism for carrying out myprocess nor to theexact details of the process herein described, theexact scope of my invention being commensurate with the claims hereuntoappended.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figurel is a sectional diagramshowing one form of my apparatus adaptedto be used in carrying out my process. Fig. 2is a side elevation showingone of the hoppers, together with means for rotating and adjusting thesame. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2looking in the'direction of the arrow and showing more particularly thedivision of the hopper into compartments for holding loose materials.elevation or edge view of a plate of the finnished fabric, and Fig. 5 isa front elevation of the same;

At. 1 1* 1 are shown a plurality'of sheets of the material to beoperated upon, which Fig. 4 is a side fed, so as to acquire atemperature closely approximating that of fusion. For this purpose thepreheating-chambers are provided with burners 4 4: 4", and immediatelybelow these burners are other burners or gaseous jets 5 5 5", whichdeliver against the material gases of such temperature as to effect thecomplete fusion of the sheet while under the action of these burners orgaseous jets 5- 5 5 ldo not limit myself to the use of such jets inaccomplishing the fusion, for obviously the fusion of the materialoperated upon may be brought about in other ways. The burners 5 5 5employ gases acting under considerable pressure, so as to exert more orless pressure upon the fused portion of the sheet, and are so directedas to impel downwardly the material of the sheet at the moment when thelatter reaches a proper stage of fusion. Immediately below the burners 55 5" are comparatively cool jets 6 6 6*, preferably airjets, which areadapted to chill the' thin sheet and cause its solidification and alsoadapted to exert pressure upon the thin sheet until the latter becomessolid. The aeriform pressure from the jets 6 616 also assists incarrying the films downward toward the rolls 2 2 These rolls by exertinga tractive force upon the films 7 7 7 tend to draw the same from theoriginal comparatively thick sections 11 1 to the minimum thicknessdesired, the drawing being assisted, as above stated, by the mechanicalaction of the burners 5 5" 5 and the air-jets 6 6 6". The plurality ofexceedingly-thin films 7 '7 7 being formed as above described are drawndown individually and united. It is in some instances desirable,however, that a binding material be distributed between the thin filmsto effect their union, and it is also for this purpose sometimesdesirable to reheat the films after the assembling thereof. For purposesof reheatingI employ a pair of burners 8 8", which preferably consumegas.

' Disposed adjacent to the rolls 2 2 2 area number of. hoppersQ 9 9*,each hopper be-' ing provided with separate compartments 9,

9, containing different loose materials 10 11 low these are a pair ofother rolls 15 15,

adapted to exert a pressure upon 'the assembled sheet 13, and thus causethe laminae thereof to adhere together, the burners 8 8 beingintermediate of the upper and lower pair of rolls just mentioned. Thefinished sheet is shown at 16 with the intermittentlydistributed bindingmaterial 17 18. The sprocket-wheels 9 9 are connected together bysprocket-chains 19 and are driven by means of a sprocket-chain 20, whichis actuated from a driving-pulley 21, propelled in any suitable manner.able, the hoppers can be rotated so as to dump one at a time and in apredetermined successive order; but, if desired, the drivingpulley 21may be stopped and any one, two, or three of thehoppers may be caused todischarge continuously, the finely-divided material 10 11 beingdistributed accordingly be- -tween the films or sheets.

While I do not limit myself to the particular materials used,Ipreferably employsome vitreous and fusible material, as 10, inconjunction with a practically non-fusible fibrous material 11,preferably comminuted asbestos. By

feeding into the apparatus material in the form drawing of thefilmdirectly from the point of fusion and from thence up to the point ofalso impel it downward, and finally release the film in its ultimatethin section and in a substantially solid state.

It will be seen that by the steps above described the fused sheetremains continuous and unbroken throughout the entire drawing zone, thecontinuity of said fused sheet not being altogether dependent upon theability As the sprocket-wheels are adjustof the resultant thin sheet orfilm to transmit the tractive force necessary to draw out the fusedmaterial from the initial comparatively thick sheet.

-In order to aid the cohesion of the thin films, so as to form the sameinto a comparatively thick laminated fabric, an oily or resinousadhesive material, such as linseed-oil or shellac, may be employed. Inorder to render the product heat-resistant, however, I prefer to employas an intermediate material between the laminae an admixture of asbestosor like fibrous material and a finely-divided vitreous material, such aspulverized glass, and

noted materials being sprinkled between them continuously and may be cutup or otherwise treated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The processherein described for the manufacture offlexible fabrics from silica, glass or the like, which consists incontinuously feeding, in the form of a sheet, the material to beoperated upon, applying heat to said material so as tofuse the samewhile still in the form of a sheet, and simultaneously drawing out thematerial thus fused so as to reduce the thickness thereof and thus forma comparatively thin film.

2. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass or the like, which consists in continuously feeding thematerial operatedupon as a comparatively solid sheet, fusing the edge ofsaid sheet, and drawing out said edge to a comparatively thin film.

3. The process herein described for the manufacture of flexible fabricsfrom silica, glass or the like, which consists in feeding a sheet ofmaterial to be operated upon, directing upon said sheet one or moregaseous jets, for the purpose of fusing the same, and drawing out saidmaterial while thus fused so as to form a comparatively thin film.

4. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, whichconsists in feeding, in the form of aplate, the material to be operated upon,

subjecting said material to the successive action of means whereby it isfirst heated and then immediately cooled, and simultaneously drawingsaid material to a comparatively thin ufacture of flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass or the like, which consists in feeding in a substantiallysheet form the material to be operated upon, drawing the same to acomparatively thin section while in a state of fusion,

and directing upon said material gaseous agents adapted'to impel thefused material in l the general direction of drawing.

7. The process herein described for the manufacture of flexible'fabricsfrom silica, glass or the like, which consists in feeding the materialto be operated upon in substantially sheet forin, fusing successiveportions of said material while thus fed, continuously drawing saidmaterial out to a-thin section, and directing upon said material whilethus being drawn gaseous jets inclined obliquely to the generaldirection ofdrawing. '8. The process herein described for themanufacture of flexible fabrics from silica, glass and the like, whichconsists in fusing the material operated upon, continuously drawing thesame to a comparatively thin section while in substantially sheet form,and subsequently assembling the resultant thin sheets or films so as toform a laminated fabric.

9. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in fusing the material to beoperated upon, drawing .the same to a comparatively thin' section. whilein substantially sheet form, subsequently assembling the resultant thinsheets or films with an interposed binding material, and pressing thewhole into a laminated fabric.

10. The process herein described'of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in fusing the material,

drawing the same to a comparatively thin sectionwhile insubstantiallysheet form, assembling the resultant thin. sheets, and causing the sameto cohere so as to form a laminated fabric.

11. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling a plurality ofcomparatively thin sheets of the material to be operated upon, raisingthe temperature of said sheets thus assembled, and applying pressure tosaid sheets so as to promote the cohesion thereof.

12. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling a plurality offilms to be operated upon, and fusing said films soas to cause the sameto adhere at certain points of contact between said films, but not atall points of contact therebetween.

13. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling thin sheets orfilms of the material operated upon so as to form a laminated fabric,introducing intermediate of the laminae thereof a material having adifferent temperature of fusion, and subjecting the whole to suitablepressure and to a temperature lower than that required to fuse the morerefractory elements and yet sufficient toefifect the cohesion of themore fusible components. 7

14. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and s the llke, which conslsts 1n formlng and assemblingthin films of the material to be operated upon so as to build up alaminated fabric and during the formation of said fabric intermittentlyintroducing between the individual laminae thereof a more easily-fusiblevitreous material, and subjecting the whole to heat and pressuresufficient to promote the cohesion thereof.'

15. The process herein described of manu- ,facturing flexible fabricsfrom silica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling thin filmsof the material to be operated upon,there by forming a laminated fabric,and during the formation of said fabric introducing between the laminaethereof asbestos or other heatresistant fibrous material, and subjectingthe whole to heat and pressure suflicient to promote the cohesionthereof.

16. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling thin films ofthe material to be operated upon so as to form a laminated fabric, andintroducing between the laminae of said fabric during the formation aheat-resistant fibrous material together with a readily-fusible vitreousmaterial, and subjecting the whole to heat and pressure sufficient toeffect the cohesion thereof.

17 The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling thin films ofthe material to be operated upon,thereby forming a laminated fabric,during the formation of said fabric introducing between said filmspulverized glass, and finally subjecting the whole to heat and pressuresufficient to promote the cohesion thereof.

l8. The process herein described of manufacturing flexible fabrics fromsilica, glass and the like, which consists in assembling thin films ofthe material to be operated upon so as to build up'a laminated fabric,and during the formation of said fabric introducing intermediate of thelaminae thereof a mixture of pulverized glass and a heat-resistantfibrous material.

, ing intermittently fused 19. As an article ofmanufacture, a laminatedfabric consisting of thin films of fusible material, the successivelaminae .of said fabric beof silica, glass or the like, and aheat-resistant fibrous material interspersed intermediate of thesuccessive films.

22. 4 As an article of manufacture, a laminated together over theirfabric consisting of thin films of silica, glass or the like, aheat-resistant fibrous material, and a more readily fusible vitreousmaterial.

23. As an article of manufacture, a laminated fabric consisting of thinsheets of vitreous material interspersed with asbestos and united byfusion into a coherent mass.

24. As an article of manufacture, a laminated fabric consisting of thinfilmsof silica, glass or the like, a quantity of pulverized glassintermittently distributed between said films, andthe whole being fusedtogether.

25. A laminated fabric, consisting of thin films of vitreous materialinterspersed byan admixture of asbestos and pulverized glass, the wholebeing united by fusion.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN G. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

WALToN HARRISON, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL.

